The Eye Dazzler by Sissi Farassat

by Marina Rybak

The prestigious Edwynn Houk Gallery is known for representing a special group of prominent contemporary photographers.  Just recently the gallery has introduced the latest works of the Iranian-born and Vienna-based Sissi Farassat.

The artist hand-embroiders the photographs she captures. And in the process she creates something uniquely her own – an elaborate, ethereal photo-art, which triggers visually rich sensory experience for the viewer.

Her unassuming, casually provocative self–portraits and the snapshots of the small circle of friends are only the initiating step, since the images are painstakingly embellished after with the multitude of sequins, beads, Swarovski crystals and loose carpet threads.

The spontaneity of the photoshots is altered with the meticulous, orderly stitches. The intense density of the embroidery helps to shift the perceptional focus, alluding to the length of time, which is spent on sewing the photograph.  The effect is a new fragile reality. Circular, light-catching sequined patterns turn the color into liquid. Organically linked carpet strands form a delicate, lacy overlay of the image, enticing the audience to uncover the mystery behind the rhythmic veil.

While viewing the exhibit I was bedazzled by this self-reflective artistic concept. I felt, it went beyond mere ornament and decoration. There was something serene, gentle, and yet unsettling about the mixed media juxtapositions, which mirrored Sissi Farassat personal story of the self-centered, rebellious artist and the compliant, industrious artisan.

I also could relate to and identify with the innate emotional current of the images  – the desire to reconcile and bridge the cultural crossroads within, while striving for the universal acceptance. In that case Sissi’s uncommon, intimate language only speaks to the depth of her artistic expression and her spreading global appeal.